About AREI

The mission of the American Renewable Energy Institute (AREI), is to advance the rapid implementation of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at the speed and scale necessary to provide solutions of both the environmental and economic crises currently facing humankind and the planet.

AREI, Inc. is a registered 501(c)3 public charity not-for-profit corporation.

AREI Programs

AREI programs showcase innovative solutions and visions developed by leading thinkers in clean technology, renewable energy and sustainability. AREI operates under the fundamental principles of five “E’s”— Energy, Environment, Economy, Education and Employment and has five distinct programs:

AREDAY

America’s premier renewable energy summit is a deep immersion into topics designed to precipitate an historic and necessary transition to an environmentally and economically sound future.

Speakers and attendees include world leaders from both the public and private sectors in science, finance, investment, government and diverse technology development and deployment. We will cover Solar, Wind, Biofuels, Geothermal and other trail-blazing approaches to sustainability.

AREI presents the 13th Annual AREDAY Summit

“From Paris to the Polls: Implementing Low Carbon Economies”

DATE: June 20-24, 2016

LOCATION: Viceroy Snowmass
130 Wood Rd, Snowmass Village, CO 81615

REGISTRATION: Online Registration will be open March 4, 2016

Full passes include entry to receptions, concert, expo and Impact Film. Passes available for students and locals, non-profit and small business.

Startup Green

June 21-22 2016 in Aspen/Snowmass

Startup Green, a partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), is a business incubation, innovation and accelerator platform for clean energy startups. It is designed as a 2 day workshop, in which attendees will work with a series of mentors, develop business plans, overcome market barriers and identify an implementation strategy for successful business in clean technology. They will convene in a sanctioned hotel or meeting space and assemble in a plenary periodically for presentations and lectures throughout the weekend.

The annual American Renewable Energy Day Summit (AREDAY) will run concurrently with Startup Green. AREDAY has been successful for twelve years attracting businessman and philanthropists, from public and private sectors, elected government officials, scientists and world-renowned leaders in clean energy. The winners of Startup Green will present on the final day of the Summit.

Startup Green is being strategically located in the state of Colorado, one of the leading states for renewable energy and clean technology and with a major hub, The Denver International Airport. Additionally, Colorado is the home of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), The Colorado Collaboratory; a partnership between the State of Colorado, The Colorado School of Mines, The University of Colorado, Colorado State University and NREL. Colorado is also the first state in the union to have a voter mandated Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS).

Startup Green is purposely placed in the Aspen/Snowmass area, as this is one of the epicenters for successful entrepreneurs, businessmen, corporate titans, and captains of industry with an easily accessible airport and surround by 500,000 acres of wilderness. To bring the global movers and shakers together once a year for nine days to network, meet and discuss business opportunities in advancing the clean energy economy is of paramount importance.

ACELI

Since 2004, American Renewable Energy Day (AREDAY) has been bringing top leaders and educators together to promote the rapid deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency strategies via demonstrations, presentations and dialogue. Each year, AREDAY has hosted nationally and internationally renowned speakers and attracted attendees from across the globe – resulting in unique, powerful cross-sector collaborations and a call to action around the issue of climate change. In 2012 AREDAY became a project of the newly formed not-for-profit, American Renewable Energy Institute, Inc. (AREI). The development of the American Climate and Energy Literacy Initiative (ACELI) moves the AREDAY Summit beyond a yearly conference in order to build clean energy job training and public education on climate change solutions.

The ACELI Mission“To accelerate the partnership between industry, community colleges and public education to create core curriculum, both online and classroom, that results in the implementation of jobs in the clean technology sector.”

We recognize the urgent need to prepare for global change, as a result of the build-up of carbon in the atmosphere that is impacting ecosystems, economies, and energy use. ACELI is positioned uniquely to respond to the urgent need and will serve as a public-private collaboration to foster resiliency and sustainable practices in connected communities across the country. ACELI projects and curriculum will enhance existing programs and initiatives, fostering synergistic activities and opportunities between educational and industry partners. We are creating and implementing publicly accredited programming for community colleges and K-12 public schools with a turn-key model that adheres to national core standards.

ACELI educational programming is being developed and will be available in four different formats:

Public Education Curriculum of accredited coursework offered through various Community Colleges

A series of Speakers Programs offered throughout the year both for public attendance, in K-12 and Community College Classrooms

Junior Climate Ambassadors K-12 Classroom Projects and Programs to promote climate and energy literacy while advancing science and math standards. Online curriculum development, including an interactive platform for students to share and collaborate on projects.

AREDAY Video library archive of prominent Keynotes, Panel Discussions, and Power Point Presentations of nationally recognized experts and business leaders in the Renewable Energy and Sustainability fields from the AREDAY Summit programs.

RENEW

The newest program of AREI, RENEW is the retrofit of the built environment to a carbon neutral or net zero standard, moving toward the ultimate goal of carbon or net positive buildings. With approximately 120 million residential homes and 60 billion square feet of commercial real estate constituting the greatest national use of fossil energy, RENEW is designed to reduce energy use while increasing economic savings.

“There is more money to be made in saving energy than producing it.”– Amory Lovins, Rocky Mountain Institute.

RENEW creates awareness of climate change solutions through net zero retrofitting projects in critical areas of high energy consumption. From resort communities, like Snowmass Village, Colorado, to retrofits in urban areas such as Detroit, Chicago, and Denver, the goal of RENEW is to stimulate job creation in renewable and energy efficiency sectors, while creating measurably reduced energy use in each retrofit. Demonstration projects will include local, regional, and national educational outreach and awareness campaigns, policy initiatives based on a project overview, as well as a tandem effort of on-site job training with our educational branch, The AmericanACELI.

RENEW’s pilot project, began in Jan 2013, at the Goodwin residence, in Snowmass Village, CO. This home is typical of high energy use homes in the Aspen and Snowmass area, and represents a real energy consumption issue in the Roaring Fork Valley. While this home is a year round residence, many like it are vacant for many months of the year, yet require heating and cooling even when unoccupied. Through a coordinated effort with local energy contractors, trades, and renewable energy experts, our team redesigned the energy systems of this home, implemented air sealing and weatherization of the building shell, and added renewable energy after significant energy efficiency measures were taken. As a result of these improvements, this project is reaching its NET ZERO goal.

NET ZERO: A building produces as much energy as it uses, bringing it to a carbon neutral operating level.

CARBON/NET POSITIVE: A Building produces more clean energy that it uses, delivering clean energy back to the grid.

The further goals of RENEW are to recommend policy and initiatives on both local and regional levels that will support the overall vision of the RENEW program.

Sustainability News & Entertainment™

“We are all in this together!” Hosted by Diana Dehm. We are crossing the nation, and heading around the globe to bring each of you to the table to tell your story on how you have made a green difference. This is all in an effort to share information we can learn from, and create a global collective for a sustainable planet – One shared idea, one solution, one conversation, and one laugh at time!

Our goal is to bring awareness around the new green economy, and drive improvement towards social and environmental impact on the planet. Diana believes “People are the heart of driving change” and that your innovative voices, ideas, and solutions will drive the green difference. We are turning up the volume and putting a voice behind green consumer products, green partnerships, sustainable technologies, renewable energy options, green jobs and so much more, with a focus on our next generation. You will walk away with a better understanding of opportunities, risks, choices, and the tools for making a green difference on the planet

“If we can walk on the moon, we CAN create a global collective for a sustainable planet”.– Diana Dehm,Sustainability News & Entertainment for the Planet™ Host.